Welcome to CAFE!

We are the Centre for Access to Football in Europe.'Total Football - Total Access'

CAFE is supported by the UEFA and is working closely with its 53 associations to improve access in European football stadia.

Merry Christmas!

All of the CAFE team would like to wish everybody a very merry Christmas, and a happy new year.

2011 has been a landmark year for us, and your support over the last twelve months has been invaluable. Such events as our first ever European conference and the launch of the Respect Inclusion project are real milestones in our history, and will live long in the memory.

Respect Inclusion Project - Football With No Limits

The Respect Inclusion project is gaining real momentum as we approach the end of the year.

Our dedicated website, http://euro2012.cafefootball.eu/, will continue to be updated with important news. We hope that as we enter the year of UEFA EURO 2012, the project will be a huge success.

Speaking about the importance of the RESPECT campaign, Michel Platini said: “As the governing body of European football, UEFA has the responsibility to protect the game and its supporters. RESPECT at EURO 2012 highlights UEFA’s continuous commitment to combat any form of discrimination, increase access for fans with disabilities, promote health through physical activity and encourage intercultural dialogue between fans and the host cities”.

Football With No Limits Competition

As a part of our Respect Inclusion - Football With No Limits project, CAFE have launched a European-wide competition to promote disability and access awareness amongst the football family and wider public. Competitors are invited to submit a photograph, video clip, short story, poem or song that reflects and celebrates inclusive design, accessibility and/or disability awareness.

Whether you are a football fan or not, we would be delighted to hear from you. We are looking for all kinds of ideas, so be as creative as you can! It could be something personal to you, something good that you have seen or something that you have been told about. The competition is open to everyone, and you can submit as many pieces as you like by visiting http://euro2012.cafefootball.eu/uploads.aspx.

We look forward to receiving your entries!

Commission plans for breaking down barriers

The public consultation launched by the European Commission seeks to prepare its proposals for a European Accessibility Act. The strategy, which was announced in December during a meeting with the European Disability Forum, aims to ensure that disabled people have access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transport and to information and communication services. It will also benefit people with limited mobility, such as the elderly.

According to the Commission, the consultation is fully accessible and is aimed at gathering views from businesses, disabled people and the general public. One in six people in the European Union – around 80 million – have a disability that ranges from mild to severe. Over one third of people aged over 75 have disabilities that restrict them to some extent. These numbers are set to rise as the EU population grows progressively older. The consultation will remain open until 29 February 2012.

The strategy outlined by the Commission last year seeks to create a barrier-free Europe for disabled people by 2020. The plan outlines how the EU and national governments can empower disabled people so they can enjoy their rights. One of the key actions included was an accessibility initiative. The aim is to use standardisation or public procurement rules to make all goods and services accessible to disabled people while fostering an EU market for assistive devices.

CLUB CAFE Network continues to grow

At our September 2011 conference we launched the CLUB CAFE network. CLUB CAFE exists to bring like-minded people together to work towards our goal of Total Football, Total Access.

Since the conference, the network has expanded considerably. People from all across Europe have added their voice to our cause. The more people speak up, the more our voices are heard.